Karndean Flooring Information and Advice

About Karndean Flooring

Karndean flooring was established in 1973 by Karndean International Inc. They have offices all over the world, including the UK, Australia, USA and New Zealand.

Dedicated to providing a fantastic one-of-a-kind designer vinyl flooring by devoting years to research and development, Karndean is growing quickly to become one of the most imaginative and affordable flooring solutions of the modern day.

It is made from a customised form of polyvinyl carbonate (PVC) which leaves it much tougher and more durable than most standard vinyl floors.

The exquisite designs replicate almost entirely the beautiful materials which inspire them. From glass to slate, they are practically indistinguishable from the real thing. Yet being made from vinyl they are still quiet and warm underfoot. Karndean won't splinter or crack unlike a real wood or laminate floor, it won't harbour dirt and germs or stain easily unlike carpet and it doesn't fade or wear in high traffic areas making it perfect not only for domestic but also commercial properties. In fact the Karndean Van Gogh range, commercial heavy duty wood planks and tiles, won the flooring industry award in 1995.

To lay your Karndean floor you may need a professional Karndean fitter especially if you have a complex design. Although the information on how to lay Karndean flooring is readily available online and paying someone else costly, we would recommend paying an experienced Karndean fitter, as any mistakes you make may be hard to rectify later on. Therefore, trying to fit your Karndean floor yourself could turn out to be a completely false economy.

Available in either 'tiles' or 'planks' and with an expanding range including, mix and match design strips, borders, corners and even feature centre-pieces, you can be pretty sure the floor you choose will be one of a kind. Placing Karndean design strips between your tiles or planks creates a natural 'grouting' effect and enhances the design of your floor. Whilst adding a border and corner with Karndean Flooring you can turn a simple design into a work of art in your very own home. Unlike laminate flooring and carpet Karndean vinyl flooring is suitable for areas subject to moisture ie bathrooms and shower rooms just use the 2 part epoxy adhesive to create a waterproof bond. Areas subject to high temperatures such as those with Underfloor heating or conservatories can also be catered for using the correct high temperature adhesive. Use the karndean floors style program on their website to help you create your floor design.

How to clean your Karndean Flooring

Newly laid floors should be left at least 24 hours before cleaning. Dilute the Basic Cleaner and Stripper with water approx. 1:5 (200ml to 1 litre of water).

When applying Karndean Basic Cleaner and Stripper wear protective gloves and apply the solution liberally over the floor with a mop. Leave to Karndean solution to work for about 5 minutes. Scrub the floor fairly hard with the green scrubbing pad attached to the mop end. Remove any residue with mop, and rinse thoroughly with lots of clean water. Karndean Basic cleaner and stripper must not be allowed to dry on the floor.

For the removal of stubborn marks use undiluted cleaning solution. Use Karndean Routine Cleaner for frequent use. Dim Glow Floor Protector creates a matt, anti-slip film finish to help protect your floor from marks and fine scratches, and helps to simplify routine cleaning. Before proceeding with your application make sure your floor is completely dry and free of all traces of cleaning products.

Use the blue applicator and white pad from a Karndean Clean Start Kit on the end of a mop, apply a thin but even layer of undiluted Karndean Dim Glow Floor Protector in one direction. Leave this layer to dry for about. 30 minutes. Repeat the process but at right angles to first coat, Rinse the white pad thoroughly with water, immediately afterwards, for future use. Leave to dry without walking on the surface for about 6 hours. Prefferably overnight.

To retain a protective layer Karndean Dim Glow Floor Protector will need to be stripped and re-applied every 6 months to a year dependant on use.

Do's & Don'ts to Protect Your Karndean Floor

DO use quality coir matting at entrances to minimise dirt and grit being brought in from outdoors. DO use protective pads under furniture legs to prevent fine scratches. DO use load-bearing castors to prevent indentation from heavy items of furniture. DO mop up spillages as quick as possible to prevent staining. DO use Dim Glow Floor Protector to ensure better protection. DON'T slide or drag furniture or appliances across the floor. DON'T allow hot items to come into contact with the floor as they can cause permanent damage. DON'T apply thick coatings of Dim Glow Floor Protector. Two thin coats is sufficient. DON'T use non-Karndean cleaning products as they may contain harmful chemicals which could damage your Karndean floor. DON'T allow silicone based products such as polish or window cleaner to come into contact with your Karndean floor as they can make it very slippery. DON'T use rubber backed mat's as they can cause permanent discolouration of your Karndean floor.

Further Karndean Flooring Advice

As we previously mentioned, Fitting Karndean flooringis a job best left to the professionals. It requires a high degree of skill and mistakes can be costly. We have written a guide to help you understand which adhesives to use, how to prepare your sub floor and an explanation of acclimatising your Karndean flooring. This can be found in the Abbey Carpets advice section.